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Thursday, December 30, 2010

Erotica and Romance Writers- I know you love tough guys. As a reader- I love tough guys too! Rough and tumble, shoot-first-ask-questions-later Alpha males who take no prisoners are unquestionably HOT. I also know you also love kick ass chicks- ladies who stretch the term with their kick-ass-itude.

I just got one suggestion to you writers out there. Go shoot someone. Stab someone. PUNCH someone in the mouth. (Okay, my lawyer is telling me that I shouldn't say that sort of thing-- so replace all of the above someone s with something s or whatever leads you not to get put in jail).

My point is sometimes (read: a LOT of the time) it is painfully obvious that the writers of these bang-pow shoot-em-ups have never held a gun. Or, in the case of a lot of our UF or historical friends, a blade. And no body knows how to throw a punch. Dear friends-- if you are pulling fight choreography straight from a Buffy episode....oh. (BTW I love Buffy, but realistic fighting was not one of the high points)

I know that writers are supposed to live out of their imaginations, but for some things nothing can replace the reality of experience. Of course, I know not everyone has the stable of black-belts at their disposal. Or brothers who are Marine Vets. Or close friends who are ex- Special Forces. Maybe I should have a camp. What do you think? Do writers need experience?

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

** I am so on a roll Full Frontal Fantasy Fans! I have another awesome interview with Elysabeth Williams, whose new book- The Electrifying Exploits of the English Three - Comes out January 3rd in all the good E-book formats!**

Introduce Yourself- :)
Hey! Thanks for having me!
I'm Elysabeth Williams. AKA: Over caffeinated, kid wrangling, ex-casino cash slinging, retired club kid, ex-go go dancing, ex-insurance agent. Seriously. Lots of ex's there though. I tend to redefine myself after a certain time period. I find that being an author might seem like another notch on the belt, but it's amazingly
fun. I have no plan on stopping any time soon. I've always written short stories and in personal journals but never thought to put a whole novel together until the last couple of years. It took a swift kick in the ass over a cup of coffee to get in gear but I finally made it!

This new book, The Electrifying Exploits of the English Three, seems like a departure from your last book Devil in a Red Kilt. What made you go in this more Steampunk direction?
I was completely burned out on what I considered to be a heavy, serious story. I wanted something fun and quirky and fast paced. Not that Devil wasn't fast, it just took a lot more out of me than I expected. Steampunk really appeals to me, as does the time period it generally depicts (not always, though. I say generally because Steampunk can be in various other places.) I'm fascinated by the Victorian time period, the technological modifications, the costumes, even music. It just seemed natural for this story to evolve into steampunk when I thought it out.

For those of us who are woefully behind the times, can you describe Steampunk?
Steampunk is.... Steampunk... is... uh... okay I'm going to quote another source because I can't form an opinion without rambling on for paaaages. "[steampunk]is set in an era or world where steam power is
still widely used—usually the 19th century, and often set in Victorian era England—but with prominent elements of either science fiction or fantasy, such as fictional technological inventions like those found
in the works of HG Wells and Jules Verne..." (from www.scifipedia.com/)

I am a huge fan of the "Masked man" fantasy-- which is central to Devil in a Red Kilt-- what sort of steamy fantasies can we expect in Exploits?
No masked men in Exploits, that's for certain. Okay,well, I take that back. There's a character or two who have a few tricks up their sleeves but nothing to the extreme as Devil was. These characters are in for the rides of their lives in terms of the job they're assigned and the men they meet. Lives are changed, things are blown up, electricity will spark, and pants will be down. (...not at the same time, mind you.)
Tell me a little bit about the undoubtedly kick-ass heroines that populate The Electrifying Exploits of the English Three.Who are the Three?
Miriam and Eliza are married and in rather unfortunate circumstances while Jillian is the only one who has managed to "dodge the marital bullet," in her eyes. The Three are friends who have been put together by a peculiar and elusive Colonel Cuthbert who employs them for dangerous assignments. Those jobs have trained them to be the curious women they are now.

Can I get a little hint as to our heroes?
Three completely different men in terms of character. A rake, a gentleman, and a mystery. That's all you get.

That Elysabeth! Such a tease! O well, friends-- I guess we will just have to read and find out. I look forward to it.

Monday, December 27, 2010

**Hi all! I am happy to present to you an interview with my friend and
fellow writer Jill Myles. Jill's newest book MY FAIR SUCCUBI--book 3 in the Succubi Diaries Series-- will be officially released on December 28th!**

Photo Courtesy of Andrea Pender Photography

Introduce yourself- Whatever info you are comfortable giving-- could be as simple as your author bio. Well, I am a mild-mannered (sorta) office drone by day and swashbuckling romance author by night! Or something. Actually I am just a gal with a husband, some cats, and a book obsession (mine and other people's books, heh).

When did you first start writing? I've always written - fanfiction for my own fun, stories for assignments at school - and I've always been complimented on my writing or told I should be a writer. It wasn't until I hit about 23 years old and quit playing online games (which I was addicted to) and I found I suddenly had all this freaking TIME on my hands and no idea what to do. So I decided it was time to start trying to write a novel.

What was the first UF/PNR book you read that sparked your interest in the genre? I absolutely loved Sherrilyn Kenyon's early Night Hunter books, Christine Feehan's Carpathians, and Kelley Armstrong's Women of the Otherworld. All of those just blew my mind because someone was finally writing what *I* wanted to read. But at the same time, I couldn't see *my* writing in their stories. Then I read MaryJanice Davidson's UNDEAD AND UNWED and it was just so different and fresh and fun and the lightbulb went off.

You have 2 hot heroes-- one a good guy, the other a bad boy-- but each has a tinge of the opposite to them. ( An angelic sex fiend and a Vamp who will do anything for our heroine) What makes your heroes different? I don't know if they're different inasmuch as they're flawed archetypes. Noah is the essence of good. Lawful good for those D&D nerds (uh, like me) out there. The problem with lawful good is that they do what's right, even if it's not what you want in the slightest. Jackie runs into this with Noah a lot - he wants to do what's right, and she wants to do what's good for her. So they clash. Zane is a bit further down on the spectrum. He's definitely chaotic, though I always hesitate to use the label of 'evil' because that's such a black and white term. But Zane does what Zane wants, and he lacks that finesse or sense of right and wrong that tells him that he's going a little too far, if that makes sense. He sees something and he goes after it. I do think that both of them are appealing because neither one is so extreme one way or the other that you couldn't see the heroine with him. I always hated the love triangles where the heroine is the only one that sees the appeal in one guy, so I tried to make both men equally appealing.

What was the most fun part of writing the Succubus Diaries? I love that they're just a rollicking sort of adventure. They're fast paced and I put in all the craziness that I want to and they can handle it. Plus, I really like Remy. ;)

What are your favorite books? We're supposed to have favorites?!

I love the characters Jackie and Remy. They are strong, take charge chicks--but not perfect! What can we readers look forward to in the lives of these two unlikely friends? I really like the dynamic between Jackie and Remy. They started out as mentor and mentee, and they've morphed somewhere along the way to friends and buddies. I like that they have each other's backs in a world that tries to push and pull them in all different directions. They're kind of the Laverne & Shirley of Paranormal. Of course, which guy that makes Squiggy...

Anyhoo, I am totally digressing. You're going to see more of Jackie and Remy's friendship and them leaning on each other. I tend to love secondary characters in books more than the primary characters, so Remy will continue to be a big part of things all through the series.

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Review for Tempest's Legacy by Nicole Peeler
(Marketing Copy)
Nicole Peeler returns with the third book in the Jane True series, a small-town fantasy perfect for fans of True Blood.
After a peaceful hiatus at home in Rockabill, Jane True thinks that her worst problem is that she still throws like a girl - at least while throwing fireballs. Her peace of mind ends, however, when Anyan arrives one night with terrible news . . . news that will rock Jane's world to its very core.

After demanding to help investigate a series of gruesome attacks on females -- supernatural, halfling, and human -- Jane quickly finds herself forced to confront her darkest nightmares as well as her deepest desires.

And she's not sure which she finds more frightening.

I have been a fan of the Jane True books for a long time now- and the newest installment does not disappoint. I love Jane because she is the kind of heroine I think is missing in UF- a chick who isn't born with a gun in her hand and a knife between her teeth. A woman who is learning about her power. Sure she can be brash and ballsy-- but she is insecure and scared to death of her power and the dangerous beings that surround her.

On the Romantic note- at the end of the last book Jane had decided to end things with her vampire boyfriend, Ryu. This would be a lot simpler if she could manage to stay away from him-- but of course danger lurks and who is better equipped than a baobahn sith investigator to protect little ol' Jane?

Anyan Barghest that's who.

Ryu was cute while he lasted, but I heart Anyan. He is big (my preference), he is strong( 10 points), and instead of trying to wrap Jane up in bubble wrap and hide her from the world's sharper bits-- Anyan helps develop Jane's abilities (we will get back to that). It is interesting that they choose to call out to True Blood fans (Remember when those were called the Southern Vampire Books?) because there is one MAJOR difference between our Sookie and our Jane- Our Jane doesn't go bed hopping. As such there is very little sweatiness in this book (awwww) but it will make it all that much hotter when it happens.

The mythology in these books is so deep and wide. There are so many magical creatures and connections that it can be hard to keep up. I seriously recommend you start at the beginning of the series to get the full effect. Jane's powers really make huge strides in this book, making her go from - "Okay, I can protect myself" to "Damn, I'm a bad bitch and can kick your ass!" Not only does this up the excitement factor but it also creates a serious conflict for Jane. It would be so easy to forget her humanity and go with the power. She could bury her pain in revenge. It is the steady presence of her friends and one seriously sexy shapeshifter that keep her at an even(ish) keel.

I liked this book and I love this series. It is fun and it is exciting, but it is also...real? I feel like Jane could be a woman I know who happens to find out her mother is a selkie and is thrust into a whole host of political shite she isn't prepared for. This is the kind of stuff I write and it excites me to see a writer making it work in publication.

So-- even though there is very little smexy action-- I highly recommend this book!

As an aside Ms. Jane must have been watching a bit of BBC America- all of the sudden she “Fancies a curry” and other Brit-isms that made me say “hmm?”

Friday, December 17, 2010

So I have lots of friends who write...tis the joy and wonder of the interwebz. The last list was books that I'm looking forward to just cuz-- These books I'm looking forward to for more selfish reasons...namely they are the creations of the people I run to when I'm ready to give up on this whole writing thing.

A Shot in the Dark-- Book II of the Jesse James Dawson Series
By K. A. Stewart TBR- July 5, 2011
NEW COVER ART!!!!

Jesse James Dawson is a Champion, putting his life on the line for those foolish enough to bargain with demons and fighting to save their souls. But even a Champion needs some downtime, so Jesse takes his annual camping trip to Colorado for some male bonding over friendly games of paintball.

Unfortunately, the fun and war games are interrupted by a pack of creatures summoned up from the very depths of hell by an entity Jesse prayed he’d never see again. With the lives of his friends and a teenager’s soul on the line, Jesse’s only hope may lie with an even more dangerous enemy—his personal demon, Axel…

**Ohhh I love a bang bang shoot'em up and this has all the elements! I'm going to have to catch up with A Devil in the Details though! I don't know how I missed it!**

Cross a Murphy woman and she'll haunt you the rest of your days.

That's what they say in Hartman, Connecticut, where the Murphy women are known for their beauty, willfulness, and disastrous luck with men. No one knows the truth of this saying better than Frank Wildermuth. Fifty years ago, he fell in love with Gert Murphy, but through fate and bad timing wound up married to her sister. He spent the rest of his life quietly regretting his mistake. Now Frank's dead -- but not quite gone—and it's time to do some haunting of his own.

All Andie Murphy ever wanted was to get out of town. But she’s back to settle Evenfall, her Uncle Frank’s estate, where some things never change -- and some things have changed a lot. Aunt Gert, for example, still drives her crazy. On the other hand, Cort, the wide-eyed farmboy she used to babysit, is all grown up -- with a whole new definition for the word sleepover.

But if you're a Murphy woman, love never goes smoothly. As Andie struggles with her feelings, Frank sees a chance for redemption -- one that could cost his niece dearly. They'll both need to decide --

Is true love really everlasting? Is home just an address, or a place you carry in your heart? And if you truly regret your mistakes, can the long-buried dreams of your youth come alive again?

** This looks quieter than my average, but I love a good ghost story. Looking forward to reading it!**

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

After a peaceful hiatus at home in Rockabill, Jane True thinks that her worst problem is that she still throws like a girl – at least while throwing fireballs. Her peace of mind ends, however, when Anyan arrives one night with terrible news . . . news that will rock Jane’s world to its very core.

After demanding to help investigate a series of gruesome attacks on females — supernatural, halfling, and human — Jane quickly finds herself forced to confront her darkest nightmares as well as her deepest desires.

And she’s not sure which she finds more frightening.

** I'm super excited because I actually got a galley of this book, so keep an eye out for the review later this week!**

Releasing April 5, 2011

Ghost Story- Jim Butcher

When we last left the mighty wizard detective Harry Dresden, he wasn't doing well. In fact, he had been murdered by an unknown assassin.

But being dead doesn't stop him when his friends are in danger. Except now he has nobody, and no magic to help him. And there are also several dark spirits roaming the Chicago shadows who owe Harry some payback of their own.

To save his friends-and his own soul-Harry will have to pull off the ultimate trick without any magic...

**Not sexy, but I love me some Dresden. **

Release May (26th???) 2011
Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris

With her knack for being in trouble's way, Sookie witnesses the firebombing of Merlotte's, the bar where she works. Since Sam Merlotte is now known to be two-natured, suspicion falls immediately on the anti-shifters in the area. But Sookie suspects otherwise and she and Sam work together to uncover the culprit - and the twisted motive for the attack. But her attention is divided. Though she can't 'read' vampires, Sookie knows her lover Eric Northman and his 'child' Pam well - and she realizes that they are plotting to kill the vampire who is now their master. Gradually, she is drawn into the plot--which is much more complicated than she knows. Caught up in the politics of the vampire world, Sookie will learn that she is as much of a pawn as any ordinary human - and that there is a new Queen on the board.

** Say what you will haters, I love Sookie. I love Eric Northman and I wants me a big Viking Vampire for my birthday!***

I know it is a pretty anemic list, but I am challenging myself to find some debut authors this year and I'm open to suggestion! What series should I be reading? Who is new and upcoming that everyone should be talking about?